Dobson Cross Race Report

Sunday I got up, left the house @ 6 am and made my way to Dobson NC for NCCX State Championship CX race. The drive down was uneventful and pretty straight forward. I-40, named the cyclocross freeway by me because of the numerous trips I have made on this highway going to cyclocross races; after I-40 it was I-77 North to Dobson.
 
I arrived at the venue unpacked and readied myself for the race. The course itself was the typical cross course grass, sand etc. There was one section that worried me. It was a tight twisty downhill on gravel with a couple of trees encroaching into the apex of 2 of the corners.
 
The starter sounded and we were off and racing. I was in the top 5 group, I made it through the chicanes, sand pits and up the hill. At the top of the hill we started the gravel down hill. I made it through the first turn ok but clipped the large oak tree with my shoulder on the next turn, needless to say the 14"diameter oak tree did not take kindly to being nudged and promptly knocked me off my bike. Andy Ammon fell on top of me and my bike. I got up found my handle bars were off center and the brake levers had been knocked inward. I straightened the handlebars as best I could hopped back on the bike and started racing again. Once on the bike I noticed the front wheel was slightly out of true and that I had not centered the handlebars just right in my haste to get back into the race. I also noted that I was dead last. I made it back to the pit grabbed my spare bike and now the chase was on. I attacked the course and started picking off riders. With 2 laps to go I looked ahead and much to my surprise I saw Bob Pugh. Bob beat me in the weeks previous race in a sprint, so I was surprised to have closed the gap and I now had the opportunity to challenge Bob on the last lap. I closed within 5 seconds and was hoping to make contact at the end of a long straight with a hard right hand uphill. I gassed it on the straight and was hoping to carry momentum through the right hander and up the hill. I carried a tad to much speed going into the right hander and up the hill. I did not crash but came unclipped and lost the time I had made on the long straight. I attempted to close the gap again and did make up some time but I did not have the gas to do the job. Bob crossed the line ~5 seconds ahead of me. Overall I had a good race and am well satisfied with my fitness.
 
I finished the race talked to some friends packed up and headed home, I-77 then west on I-CX. Again the drive home was uneventful, although I did suffer a little from highway hypnosis. A couple of calls to some friends got me out of it (THANKS GUYS) and I made it back to my humble domicile.
 
This week I will do some mtn biking, earlier versus later due to the chance of rain later this week with the weekend being filled with cross racing. Saturday will be the MSG series where I will race the 45+ and the SS race. Sunday is undecided, Southern Pines NCCX series or Blairsville Georgia.
 
I hope everyone has a good week!!